Pencil



J. MEILNER Oct. 25, 1938.

PENCIL Filed May 17, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Oca-*25, 1938UNITED s'rlrrr-:s .PATENT OFFICE PmClL :mph Manner, west om, N. J.,mimo: to

Eagle Pencil Company, a corporation of Dela- Application any 17, 1935,sei-n1 No. 21,945

s claims. (ci. izozati My present invention relates to pencils. moreparticularly to the so-cailed clutch type pencil of the charactercommonly used by reporters.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide such pencil, of theutmost simplicity of construction, in which the worn lead can beadvanced to writing position in an instant, and remain eiectivelygripped without local weakening or breaking under writing pressure.

Another object is to provide a pencil of the above type, of extremelyrugged and inexpensive construction, made of few parts that are not aptto become deranged or jammed in use.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is J shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several'features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal cross-section o a complete pencil,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in longitudinalcross-section, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and with the lead removed,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the relation of the partswith the lead in writing position, l

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional viewy taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the upper orsharpening end of the pencil, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the Sharpener blank shown positioned in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawing, the pencil includes a lead tube Iextending substantially the entire length of lthe pencil having solderedto the rear-end thereof the collar Il of a ferrule presenting anenlarged` cylindrical bearing i2. The upper end of the tube III isclosed by a plug i3 soldered or otherwise held in position. Telescopedover the upper extremity of the ferrule sleeve I2 is a sheet metal capor thimble AHl held in position by friction and spaced at its lower orskirt end I from the ferrule. The upper extremity of the pencil barreli6 is telescoped over the sleeve i2, the skirt i5 of the thimble or capextending over the extremity of the barrel. The

lead tube has a chuck conformation at its forward end, unitarytherewith, and preferably comprising a separate sleeve il soldered orbrazed over the tube iii. The chuck comprises preferably a pair of jawmembers i8 'and it at the outer ends of arms 20 unitary with andprotruding forward from sleeve il. Each of the jaw members `is conformedat its inner face as a cylindrical segment 2i struck on a radius smallerthan the radius of the thicker pencil lead. At the outer face each ofthe chuck jaws is enlarged, presenting a forwardly and outwardly flaringbody 22 and a tip 23 tapered forwardly to a relatively sharp rim 2l. Anarrow shoulder ledge 25 is defined between the shank 22 and the tipjaws.

The lead tube is also encircled by a collar 28 soldered, brazed orotherwise fastened thereto, substantially midway between its ends, saidcollar having an outwardly extending -fiange 29 serving as a seat forone end of a coil spring 30 encircling the lead tube. The pencil barrelI6 which may be of vulcanite, enamelled metal or the like for its mainlength, has a tapered forward extremity 3| which latter is preferably ofsheet metal, the reduced rim 32 at the forward end of the barrelsnapping in back of the shoulder ledge 25 on the chuck, as best shown inFig. 2, when the barrel is telescoped over the empty lead tube and itsencircling spring 30. The shoulder ledge 25 thus acts as-a latch withrespect to rim 32 and blocks removal of the lead tube and its associatedchuck.

In the assembled pencil, the rear end of the barrel is lodged as shownin Fig. 1, between the ferrule bearing I2 on the lead tube and the skirti5 of the cap or thimble il, while the shoulder ledge 25 on the chuckresiliently holds the barrel i6 in position. By drawing the barrel intothe thimble I4 against the resistance of spring 30, the jaws I8 and i9oi' the clutch are permitted to separate, and the lead may now bereadily inserted. By then gripping the barrel and pressing with thethumb on the thimble itl, the lead is released and permitted to drop outto any desired writing length, and upon release of pressure on thethimble, the lead is retained in securely gripped position, as bestshown in Fig. 3, by the blocking action of the rim 32 of the barrelagainst the chuck. The chuck is thus retained by the thickness of thelead 3l tov maintain the shoulder 25 somewhat spaced from the barrelrim, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Since the inner radius of the `cylindrical chuck jaws is less than thatof the lead, it is clear, as

best shown in Fig. 4, that the lead will be engaged only by the edges ofthe chuck elements, the main areas of which elements are out of contactwith the lead. The grip is longitudinal, in the particular embodimentshown, along four lines 33, '34, 35 and 36, parallel to the axis of thelead and extending the effective length of the chuck. It is thus clearthat the lead engagement is well distributed along longitudinal linesfor an extremely effective gripping engagement of the lead.

As compared with a construction in which the lead is grippedperipherally, the gripped length by the present invention is severaltimes greater, and, accordingly, the effectiveness of the hold isimproved even though a weaker spring be employed. Moreover, by thisarrangement, the engaged portion of the lead is reinforced andstrengthened, where with peripherallyengaging clutches, theeffectiveness of the hold might be accomplished at the cost of locallyweakening the lead by indenting the same peripherally, and this wouldlead to frequent breakage, especially under the severe service to whichthis type of pencil is commonly subjected.

While it is preferred to employ a chuck with two jaw pieces, as shown,it is, of course, apparent that it could be made with three or more suchpieces, each conformed to engage the lead substantially along its edges,so that the main area of the jaw pieces remains out of contact with thelead.

It is also understood that the concave conformation of the jaws need notnecessarily be on a circular cylindrical arc, but could be angular, orof any suitable cross-section to afford the desired longitudinal,relatively sharp line of engagement with the lead.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the pencil is illustratively shown with asimple lead Sharpener attachment. For that purpose, a rigid disk 40 isretained in the cap midway of the length thereof, within a peripheralgroove 4|. The lead sharpener may constitute a hardened steel blank 42shown in Fig. 6, generally rectangular in form with a generallyhour-glass shaped longitudinal aperture 43 and lateral tongues 44 nearthe opposite extremities thereof, bent inward at right angles andgripping tabs 45 protruding midway from opposite extremities of theblank. The metal of the blank, transversely creased at 46, is insertedby its creased portion through a central aperture 41 in the cap. Thefold or crease 46 becomes lodged in a central aperture 48 in the disk 40and the lateral tongues 44 serve as stops against the end wall of cap orthimble I4. For sharpening, the lead is simply inserted through theopening 41 and turned, so that the oblique edges of the hour-glassshaped opening 43 serve as cutting edges to produce the desired conicalpoint on the lead, before insertion thereof through the chuck opening atthe forward end of thei pencil. If desired the cap can be removed andheld over the lead while in the pencil.

It is, of course, understood that the Sharpener appliance, whiledesirable, is not an essential part of the combination and that ifdispensed with, the thimble would be closed or equipped with a removableeraser, if desired.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described vapparatus in whichthe several features of this invention are embodied, which in its actionattains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meetthe requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pencil structure comprising a unitary barrel presenting arelatively sharp reduced forward edge, a lead tube extendingsubstantially the length of said barrel, a coil spring within saidbarrel encircling .said lead tube and urging the latter away from thepencil point, said lead tube having a lead gripping jaw structureprotruding beyond the rim of said barrel and having a tapering portionwithin said barrel engaged by the rim of the latter, said jaw structurepresenting an external shoulder serving as a limiting stop determiningthe uppermost position of the lead tube in the barrel.

2. A pencil comprising a sheet metal barrel presenting a reduced forwardrim, a rigid lead tube in said barrel having as a unitary part at theforward end thereofa pair of spaced arms, each having an enlargementnear its forward extremity presenting jaws protruding from the rim ofsaid barrel, said jaws presenting longitudinal edges to grip a lead, acoil spring within the barrel engaging the lead tube to propel the sameaway from the point, said enlargements tapering at the barrel enclosedportion to cause the rim of the latter to draw the jaws together forlongitudinally gripping the lead, said jaws each presenting an externalshoulder serving as a limiting stop determining the uppermost positionof the lead tube in the barrel.

3. A lead pencil comprising a lead tube having a pair of spaced rigidjaws presenting longitudinal lead gripping edges, each of said jaws ofconcavity to be free from engagement of the lead between said edges,said jaws having an intermediate peripheral shoulder and tapering towardtheir upper and toward their lower ends, a sheet metal pencil barrelencircling said lead tube and presenting a reduced forward rimencircling the tapering u pper end of said jaws with the lower end ofsaid jaws protruding beyond said rim and said shoulder serving as alimiting stop between said lead tube and said barrel and a coil springin said barrel reacting against said lead tube to cause theinner taperedportion of said jaws to be forced toward each other by the engagementtherewith of the lower rim of said barrel.

4. A pencil structure comprising a lead tube having lead gripping jawsat the forward end thereof, a unitary sheet metal pencil barrelencircling said lead tube and presenting a relatively sharp lower rim,said jaws having means thereon cooperating with the lower rim of saidbarrel for forming a latch connection therewith, and spring meanstending to draw said jaws into said barrel.

5. A pencil structure comprising a lead tube having lead gripping jawsat the forward end thereof, a unitary sheet metal pencil barrelencircling said lead tube and presenting a relatively sharp lower rim,`said jaws having means thereon cooperating with the lower rim of saidbarrel for forming a latch connection therewith, and spring meanstending to draw said jaws into said barrel, the external portion of saidjaws above said means having an externally tapering portion.

JOSEPH MEILNER.

